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caliper brake spring plate
#1
Question 
Ran into a problem with my caliper brakes. The right plate (with the three holes) for the spring keeps shifting downwards due to the springs tension. Tried tightening the bolt to see if the plate would stay in place but it wont budge, it won't loosen either and I'm a bit hesitant at trying again because I might damage the bolt. I can tap the plate back into place with a hammer but once the brakes are put back on and i pull the lever the plate will just shift back down and with that lose the needed brake tension. Does anyone know how to fix this? Is it not just a bolt holding it in place, is it maybe supposed to be soldered onto the frame? If you happen to know if theres a name for this plate I'd love to know because I can't find any information about it online.
Thanks in advance.


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#2
looks like some sort of carbon frame where the post area has broken. maybe a warranty issue?. Or take apart and try to epoxy everything back in place. need more info on the bike
There are two kinds of people in the world, "Those who help themselves to people, and those who help people!"
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#3
(07-31-2020, 09:38 AM)kuik Wrote:  ...I can tap the plate back into place with a hammer but once the brakes are put back on and i pull the lever the plate will just shift back down and with that lose the needed brake tension...

Welcome kuik,

Painkiller makes a great point about possible warranty coverage. I don't know if you purchased the bike new, but it seems that would be covered within the warranty period barring any accident/incidental damage. I wouldn't mess with it if there is the possibility of if being covered. Maybe even check to see if there is a recall related to it since it might make it less safe to ride.

I'm not intimately familiar with the hardware set-up, but I don't think it has anything to do with the bolt. That plate may have been pressed on and it's seat on the post may have become worn somehow. I certainly would not rotate it back into position when assembled since that would only cause more wear, and thus increase the play between the 2 parts' mating surfaces. I would disassemble the other side, presuming it's identical, and observe how the other plate is secured. If there is no other hardware holding it in place once the brake arm is removed I would have to assume a press fit, and that the same condition might arise with the other tension plates. There could easily (and unfortunately) have been issues during assembly where a piece of hardware was not installed, or installed incorrectly during building; another warranty issue.

Without really seeing it close up I wouldn't know what to recommend for repairing it. If no apparent damage anywhere else that could affect it, I would probably use industrial strength epoxy to repair a pressed on plate; and saying that, I would glue all of the other plates in order to prevent similar problems since you now know what might occur given the design. If it is overly loose, I would cut a tiny piece of shim material to insert before applying the epoxy in order for it to have somewhat of a tighter fit before the glue work is done.
Take care,
Jesper

"I am become Death, the destroyer of bicycles." NJS
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